IBM introduced today an entirely new category of server uniquely designed to address the technology needs of companies that use Web 2.0-style computing to operate massive data centers with tens of thousands of servers.

Companies that operate massive scale-out data centers spend 10 to 30 times more on energy costs per square foot than a typical office building. The energy powers both hundreds of thousands of servers and the air conditioning needed to cool them. The exponential growth of such data centers will continue as streaming video, online gaming and social networks spike Internet traffic, requiring companies to build ever vaster pools of computers that devour energy resources to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

IBM iDataPlex is a new rack system featuring design innovations in cooling and efficiency that can help replace the inefficient “white-box” servers commonly used by Internet companies. As consumers demand richer content and more immediate access to Web-based applications, iDataPlex can allow online gaming, social network, Search and Internet companies to scale rapidly to meet this need.

Each iDataPlex system can be made to order and arrive to the client integrated and ready to run from the factory. This delivery model also helps to keep the cost of iDataPlex well below that of a comparable number of “white box” systems.

IBM also plans to use iDataplex in its IBM Cloud Computing Centers in other locations such as the IBM Cloud Computing Center at Dublin and at the IBM Almaden Research Center.

In addition, the Linux operating system from IBM distribution partners Novell and Red Hat will be supported on iDataPlex as will the open source, scale-out cluster management solution xCat. iDataPlex is the latest IBM offering that embraces Linux, which is the preferred operating system for many Web 2.0 environments, as well as companies embracing Linux for business-critical workloads. It also addresses customers concerns about energy consumption, which is a goal of IBM’s “Big Green Linux” initiative.